Bernadette Girvin, a former LPGA Tour player and 13-year veteran in the financial services industry, is passionate about her role as Owner and Chief Executive Officer with Gambin Financial Group. Bernadette officially started her business in 2015 as a solo entrepreneur managing her financial advisory practice. In 2018, she, and her colleague Claudio Gambin, decided to formally join forces and opened their own office in downtown Orlando. Bernadette is leading the firm’s growth and vision by overseeing the strategy of their Client Experience, Team, Talent, and Brand.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

From a very early age, I felt this internal desire to compete, succeed and be the best at whatever I did.  I grew up in Orlando, Florida, the daughter of two teachers.  My mother taught high school math and my dad taught college English, so it was seared into my brain early on that making good grades and getting a college education was very important.  I worked really hard at school and did well, but I didn’t enjoy it.  I only wanted to be outside playing sports.  The summer before my sophomore year of high school, my dad entered me into some local junior golf tournaments.  I had recently taken up the sport and loved it!  He and I spent lots of afternoons and evenings at the driving range and I had become obsessed.  That summer, I won a couple of tournaments and was officially hooked.  From that moment forward, I dedicated my whole life to golf.  I worked hard and earned a scholarship to Ole Miss where I went on to play all 4 years earning All-SEC honors.  After college, I qualified for the LPGA Tour and my dream of being a professional golfer came true.  I played for 4 years professionally before deciding to hang up my clubs, but it was the best 4 years of my life!

What inspired you to start your business?

After I quit playing golf, I had no idea what I was going to do with my life.  I had dedicated everything to golf and hadn’t really planned for what would happen if that didn’t work out.  I had also racked up a significant amount of debt financing my way across the country from tournament to tournament.  That’s when a friend of mine introduced me to the financial services industry.  I worked in a variety of roles from selling life insurance to running training and development departments.  Over the years I studied to earn my insurance and investment licenses but really just became a student of the industry and what it took to be successful.  I also had a tremendous fire in my belly to pay off my debt and use that experience to educate other women on how to properly navigate capital and debt management.  So, in 2015 I decided to launch my own practice with a mission to help women become more financially savvy. It was an exciting few years as a solopreneur growing my business but I knew I didn’t want to do this alone. So, in 2018, I formally partnered with my friend and colleague, Claudio Gambin, and we launched our own independent office in downtown Orlando!  Today we are investing in an initiative called Women in Wealth with a mission to help change the way women think and feel about money. 

Where is your business based?

Downtown Orlando, Fl.

How did you start your business?  What were the first steps you took?

Step number 1, get licensed.  Step number 2, find clients.  One of the first things I did, after getting properly licensed, was create a list of 200 people that I knew I could call and to whom I could pitch my new business.  I figured most of these people would at least be open to a conversation.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

In our industry, referrals are the best way to drive business.  Money is such a personal and emotional topic that you’re probably not just googling for a good advisor but rather, asking your friends who they know or have worked with.  I asked everyone I knew for 1 referral and for them to tee me up to that person.  Another thing I did, picked one organization that I wanted to be a part of and spent a lot of time there building relationships and awareness of my business.  Of course, today social media is a great tool.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge has been my own self-doubt and lack of confidence.  The theme that played on a loop in my brain for so long was, “why would anyone take financial advice from you? You didn’t go to school for this, and you just got out of major debt – what do you know about money?”.  So, to overcome this terrible self-talk, I studied harder and worked harder.  I’ve never been the most talented at whatever I was doing, but I worked harder than anyone else.  For example, in school, I wasn’t a naturally smart person with excellent recall, but I studied harder and practiced more math problems than anyone until I couldn’t get it wrong…I won the math award in 11th grade!

How do you stay focused?

I read my goals and my vision every day.  My family fuels me to be the best version of me I can be.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

We have spent the last 13 years specializing in working with business owners to help them solve their most complex problems.  We also have a female CEO who is passionate about creating a more woman-centric planning experience for our clients.  I believe when you combine these two superpowers, no one in the industry is better than us at what we do!

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

I think constantly refining our client experience has been our most effective marketing strategy.  When each client feels like they’re our only client, it drives referrals through the roof!  I also think our Women in Wealth initiative will exponentially grow our business but we’re still new in that space so time will tell!

What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Know your strengths and work harder than your competition. 

Whatever your superpower is, refine that and be the best at it! As you can afford it, hire people that are great at the things you are not.  Stay in your lane doing what you do best.  Equally as important, work harder than anyone else.  Consistency in showing up is important.   Sometimes you just need the “at-bats” to finally hit your home run. 

What’s your favorite app, blog, and book?

Favorite App – Amazon.  I mean you can get ANYTHING on that app!

Favorite Blog – Sammi Jefcoate sammijefcoate.com.  This woman’s fashion and music taste speak to my soul.  She’s effortlessly cool, heavily tattooed like me, and loves metal.  I’m certain we’re meant to be friends 

Favorite Book – We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.  This book is a page-turner!  It’s dark and gripping and beautifully written.  I was in tears at the end.

What’s your favorite business tool or resource?

LinkedIn is probably my best business resource.  I use it to strategically connect with other professionals.  Trello is probably my best business tool as it helps keep me and my team really organized with our workflow!

Who is your business role model?

She’s a bit of a local hero but Suneera Madhani, the CEO and Founder of Stax, is my role model.  She’s a fierce and smart entrepreneur in fintech (also a male-dominated industry like mine).

How do you balance life and work?

I don’t.  I believe in work-life integration.  Life is never balanced.  Some seasons of life I’ll be able to focus on family, some seasons will be heavily tipped toward business.  But if I’m honoring both in a way that brings me joy and fulfillment, I consider that a success. 

I am a calendar guru though and my husband, nanny and I meet weekly to ensure everyone knows what the plan for the week and month is (what kid goes where, when date nights are, etc.).  I love a calendar and a planner!

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

A round of golf with my husband.  I feel at home on the golf course.  I love the outdoors, the smell of the grass, the sounds of the birds….I breathe easiest on the course.

What do you have planned for the next 6 months?

Professionally, we’re double down on our Women in Wealth initiative with several speaking engagements and events.  Super excited about this!

Personally, we’re taking a short family vacation!

How can our readers connect with you?

Check out our website www.gambinfinancial.com or follow us on Instagram @Women_in_Wealth